Posts Tagged ‘Southern Gospel’

“The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.” Luke 12:2

This is a significant departure for me when or as it relates to prophecy and revelation as it concerns issues within the church, but this has been in my spirit since the vision came several days ago to which I will reveal now. Understand, I do not deal with issues for the most part with subjects like music (although I have in the past), I typically only deal with issues that relate directly to the church as a whole as it relates to the last days. However, a few nights ago the Lord gave me a dream which was so shocking, so disturbing that at first I thought it had to be the enemy, but as I began to test the spirit, I understood more that the Lord himself was showing me something that he was about to do. It was only because of the images that I saw, the perversion, the lewdness, the blatant sins which stood in occurred in front of me that I at first thought how is this possible that God would show me this? But then it hit me, that sin and perversion has no barriers, and is moving throughout Christian circles. This is the night vision I was given.

I stood in a large auditorium that was filled with people numbering well into the hundreds, maybe a little over 1,000 in attendance. It was obvious that the majority were associated with Christian music, and it was obvious to me that this was a southern gospel event as many well known people and singing groups were shown on the stage. The dream changed rather quickly, as I stood near the end of the stage next to the curtain that seemed to open before me in that I would be able to see the following occur. I saw a young woman come up onto the stage, she was an attractive girl and very sensual in dress, and acted like a prostitute in her behavior. I watched as she began to dance in front of the men on stage, well known gospel singers, as the crowd in the audience did not seem to be moved at all by what was happening. The young woman began to undress herself and then proceeded to have sex with several of the high profile men on stage. I wanted to look away, but something in my spirit said “Don’t turn away, look!” and I watched as more sexual perversion began to occur with others on stage. What stunned me more, besides the individuals who participated in this perversion, was the level of applause coming from the audience itself, seemingly encouraging the orgy that was happening before me. Then as it it did before, the curtain closed and the dream ended.

I believe the Lord was showing me that there is significant sin and perversion within this industry and that eventually all will be revealed. But even more so, there is a level of wickedness that is beginning to seduce and even change the very nature of the music of Southern Gospel itself to be more a reflection of the changing times, and less to do with the foundation from which it came. Ecumenical movements, liberal, progressive Christianity and the desire for money and fame are all changing many aspects of those who utilize these types of platforms, and they are doing so at the cost of their souls.

Please understand, I live in China, I have very little access to what’s going on in many circles due to my work within this Communist nation. Yet when God reveals certain things to me, I take them serious as a message as well as a word of warning that things will be shaken in these last days as we move further into the period of time which Christ warned us about. However, let it be known that God will reveal, expose what he sees as a threat to his people, and if people do not repent, then his only option is to show the entire world what needs to be shown. This is why I used an image such as Hee Haw, Hee Haw was a provocative television show in the late 1960’s-1980 that was set in the south which featured large breasted women, sexual enticements, off color humor and to hook Christians, southern gospel music as a lure to seduce believers. Hee Haw is an example of the world infiltrating the church, much to what is happening today. That is what God was showing me, the world and its influence is changing everything when it comes to traditional Christian principles.

These are the last days just before Christ returns, and it’s beginning to show how far we are straying from the truth, and subscribing to the false in this last hour.

“Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 1:2

The word says in 1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Some confuse in this particular verse that the word “the world” is speaking of “the world – earth” which is not the case at all. What John is speaking of is, to be clear, is those things in the world which capture the heart of men which give rise to self, that promotes self and glorifies self. It literally means the sinfulness of things in this life which are void of God and his spirit. Anything which leads the person to evil tendencies, which lifts of the god of this world (who is Satan) is wrong and it is idolatry. This is the “love” that John is speaking about when he says that the believer, who has given their heart and mind as well as spirit to Christ, are never to love, nor be apart of.

Within the last few days of this writing, many have been speaking about several instances which have occurred in our nation which has many talking about what was seen and those actions which have recently taken place in regards to certain Christians. Namely, the 2014 Grammy awards show on CBS and the Oscars (Hollywood). The chatter that was centered around the Grammy’s had to do with what was seen by millions around the world, namely, the open display of perversion of the same sex marriage depiction where couples were “married” onstage, and the depiction of a real live satanic invocation by pop singer Katy Perry. But what has since caused another flap, this time within the Christian community itself, is what happened at the Grammy’s by a well known Christian “artist” (Natalie Grant) and Grammy nominee (Mandisa). Miss Grant, who was in the audience, tweeted that she had left the awards show before anything else took place, followed up by yet another tweet saying she wasn’t going to “judge” anyone and that it would be best that she kept her comments to herself. Only to then back-peddle less than 12 hours later the entire ordeal and to suggest her comments, or lack thereof, where misconstrued to many who were critical of her willingness to speak out on the subject matter which took place.

The other Christian artist, Mandisa, chose not to attend the Grammy awards show because, as she stated on her Facebook page, she did not feel that it conformed to her convictions as a Christian, and to that I respectfully applaud her convictions to refuse to go to such a den of iniquity. Yet, the preacher in me must as ask this one question, have we come to the point where we think it’s an honor to be recognized by the world? And if so, what does that say about the state of the church today?

I’m going to say something that won’t make a lot of people very happy with me, but it needs to be said, no Christian “entertainer” needs to be lifted or seek to be lifted up by the world, this includes awards. The concept of awards is completely foreign to the gospel and Christian teaching and here’s why, when God gives a person a talent or ability, that individual uses such ability for one purpose, to worship God and lift him up, not ourselves. Their talent and ability are to minister to the body of Christ and those who do not know Christ, when a person (believer) loses focus of their “ministry”, then the object of ministry has greatly been changed to where it’s no longer about ministry, it then becomes about self. Self is always the end result of Satan’s playbook to destroy the believer and their gifting – always. If it’s not about Christ, then it’s worthless, when it’s all about self, it’s fruitless. This is the result of the church allowing itself to be sucked into the world system and the end result is, we lose our witness as well as our testimony.

The minister, be it song writer or singer has one obligation, to worship God the Father and lift up Christ. Yet, when they receive the applauds of men, when they receive the awards of men, they are literally compromising the gift or gifts of God and seeking the world’s favor. Listen, the world hates us for a reason, because our message is not of the world’s intellect, our message is simple – the cross. Yet Satan has deceived many a talented artist in seeking the things of this world, (awards) by suggesting that if they can get nominated by the industry, the same very industry whose sole intent is destroying our society, then what does that say about our convictions? It leads to compromise and compromise leads to spiritual death.

In recent days, Christians are now throwing dirt in the air over the announcement by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences committee who have rescinded the Oscar nomination for the song “Alone Yet Not Alone” over allegations of manipulation. The song, which is performed by evangelical Christian author and singer Joni Eareckson Tada, wound up scoring an Oscar nod ahead of songs from Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey and Beyonce, among other major artists. So now Christians are up in arms because they claim it is yet another example of bias toward Christianity, and they might be right, however, my answer to this issue is this – so be it!

Look, does it really matter what the world thinks of us who follow Christ? Do we truly desire to receive the world’s awards? This is why Paul stated in 2 Corinthians 6:17 “Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,” The apostle Paul took it a step further in admonishing believers that we should not even fellowship with unbelievers, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14

God is calling all of us to literally separate from this world, that means we ignore the world’s appeal, it’s fruits, it’s rewards. This is why I HATE awards programs, because it always lifts up self – always. Even Christians have taken the themes of the world and have now began to mimic the world in it’s appearance, where every year, certain Christian artists are nominated by their peers for their talent such as the Dove awards, is this what god intended? NO!!! This is the glory of self! When we pursue self, when we allow selfish desires to sink into our spirit, we lose the object of ministry, which is not about lifting us up, but lifting Christ up. Yet many would say what is wrong recognizing someone’s talent? Here’s what the word says in Romans 2:6 “He (Christ) will render to each one according to his works:” referring to the judgment seat of Christ. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” 2 Corinthians 5:10

It is enough to receive our reward when we get to heaven, I, nor you, nor Natalie Grant, nor any other artist should seek nor desire to be recognized on this earth for what we have done in the name of Christ, ours should be like the apostle Paul, dying to self every day, not interested in self glory and vain recognition. For glory and recognition always leads to pride.

Friend, we are in the last days and my fear is, many are going to stand in judgment before the Lord and sadly, their works are going to burn up and the reason is, they have traded their value and worth for the cares of this life, and when they reach the throne room of God, when they stand before Christ to be judged for what they did, their works will have been burned to ashes, nothing lasting. Friend, if you are seeking the world’s recognition, vanity, self affirmation, then you are seeking self and that is sin! You need to repent of such before you do yourself further harm, for if you are not actively witnessing to the lost, then everything you are doing is vanity, it is worthless, and one day it will burn up, counted for loss, then you will stand before God to give and answer as to why you let so great a talent go to waste.

Ours is not to live for self, to see how famous one can become, or how to be recognized by the world, even by other Christians, ours is to proclaim the love of Christ to a lost and dying world, that is our only hope, not gold albums, chart hitting songs and entertainer of the year, actually, if you have been named entertainer by the world, you’ve already lost! Think about that. Do you want to be known as an entertainer? Or minister of the gospel? Choose you this day whom you will serve. But choose quickly, for the King is coming – so is judgment.